Erase The Past
by Salvatore Shan NW
Summary: ...the Tokyo Historical Society has no longer taken an interest in preserving the ‘Bone Eaters well’... Enclosed is a warrant for its removal. Kagome and Inu's last goodbye.
1. Chapter 1

_Erase The Past_

One-shot. I know that in no way would this ever happen – but what if it _did_? And I know neither Inuyasha or Kagome would give up this easily, but it's just a 'what if' situation.

I have no idea whether there is a 'Tokyo Historical Society' or who is the head of the Tokyo Council, so it's just for fic purposes okay? Prepare the tissues, girls. And please don't shoot me!

Also I'll start doing play lists for my fics. Comment saying whether you like them.

Playlist doesn't work. The link doesn't come up. Damn. But here's the list:

**_Songs in order:_**

How Do I Live,  
Love Song for a Vampire,  
My Immortal,  
Now We Are Free,  
Only Time,  
I Miss You,  
When You Saying Nothing At All,  
_(and then if you get to these…)_  
Last Night on Earth,  
At The Beginning,  
I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing,  
She Will Be Loved,  
The Flower of Carnage,  
The Lonely Shepherd.

* * *

Kagome's world came crashing down the day the court order was placed firmly in Mama Higurashi's hands. It had been a great day – she'd had word of passing her maths exam, and was being taken off the extra-classes list – and what was more: Eri, Yuka and Ayumi were demanding to meet Inuyasha again – which had to be a good thing, right? 

Kagome was in the hallway, watching Mama open up the envelope with her mother's astonishment barely held in check. There was nothing the family could have done wrong to deserve a court order – unless it was something to do with Kagome's frequent absence from school. Maybe the education council had cottoned on that she was truanting?

But it wasn't _anything_ like that when the letter was removed and seen for what it truly was. Mama Higurashi's hands shook while she read.

_To the resident(s) of the Sunset Shrine,  
It has come to our notice that the Tokyo Historical Society has no longer taken an interest in preserving the 'Bone Eaters well' on your property. We have confirmation from the leader of the council that they no longer wish to pay for upkeep of such a minor attraction and believe that it is a factor of our history we would much rather lose – as it is truly an unimportant piece._

_Enclosed is a warrant for its removal. You will, of course, be paid compensation for such a loss – and we sympathise with you at this time, as of course you may have grown fond of such an attraction and you may believe it grants authenticity to your shrine._

_Thank you kindly,  
Mi Suzuki  
(Head of Tokyo Council)_

Mama's head jerked up in the direction of the paperboy standing erect on the doorstep. The date at the top of the letter was _weeks_ previous – it had been sent at the end of the last month, unless it was a type error.

"Can you explain this!" Mama Higurashi cried, jabbing at the date at the top of the letter. Coils of fear were slowly winding around her heart.  
"Mama? What is it?" Kagome called from behind her. Mama Higurashi stuffed the letter in its envelope and held it at her side, away from Kagome's curious eyes. She didn't want her to know… it would only break her daughter's heart...

The paper boy seemed apologetic. "There was a mix up at the sorting office. It's been lying on the side for a while until we could contact the senders and establish the address." He nodded at Mama Higurashi and turned, walking off of the shrine property and down the steps to where his bike was waiting at the bottom of the hill. After all, this wasn't his doing.

Mama began to shake. She slid the front door shut. Behind the letter, stapled on to it, was the warrant. She didn't want to see the date of the well removal… but she had to prepare Kagome for it. It was her duty as a mother.  
"Mama?" Kagome practically whispered, placing her hands either side of her mother's shoulders.

Mama Higurashi took a steadying breath and withdrew the letter from where she had hit it from Kagome. She flicked over the first sheet before her daughter could even glimpse it. And there the date was written in bold, block capitals.

**DATE OF REMOVAL: 27th MARCH**

Mama gasped. _That… That's too soon…  
_"Three days…" she whispered, her voice hoarse. She shut her eyes – clutching onto the warrant and letter tightly, feeling the helplessness wash over. Then, before Kagome could snatch it away, she tore it up.  
Kagome blinked fervently and backed away. "Mama?"

"Don't touch this, Kagome – do you understand?" Mama turned, her eyes pleading yet her voice firm and screeching. "This isn't for your eyes, do you understand?" She waved the shredded pieces of paper before Kagome's eyes, and her daughter nodded furiously.

Kagome jerked around and ran up the stairs to her room, deciding it was better to leave her mother alone. Mama was left panting in the hallway.  
Her lack of reply would have made the council sure of her 'co-operation' – there was nothing she could do to stop it now.

_But how to tell Kagome? Should I not tell her at all? No, she would never forgive me…  
_Mama shut her eyes, squeezing them tightly shut as she automatically made her way into the kitchen.  
_Of course, Inuyasha will have to be warned too – otherwise he could be trapped over here…_

Mama dropped the pieces of the court order in the bin, deep in thought. She clutched onto the kitchen counter, staring into the distance. "Whatever I do won't matter. It's Kagome's choice…" she thought, frowning.

But no matter which way she looked at it – she couldn't find a way out.

* * *

"I don't know… I can't believe she turned on me like that," Kagome scratched the back of her head in disbelief, still trying to work out why her mother had yelled like that. Her legs swayed to and fro. 

Inuyasha was sat cross-legged on her bedroom floor, looking down at the carpet with an odd look on his face. He clutched onto Tessaiga, obviously thinking. "I wouldn't think your mother would be the kind to shout," he murmured.

Kagome sighed and fell back onto her bed, looking up and around her room as if the answer was there. The morning sunlight streamed through her bedroom window, and outside the birds whistled happily – a cliché, she knew, but it made her feel more relaxed. Told the curious voice in her head that everything would work out in the end.

Still, she had to know what was in that letter. She didn't know what could turn her mother like that, and it had to do with what was written there.  
"Inuyasha," she said as she lay on her back, looking up at the ceiling.

"Yeah…?"

"Can you do me a favour?" Kagome asked, twiddling her thumbs.  
Inuyasha sighed and stood up, glaring down at her – his silver hair framing his face and making his golden eyes glint brighter. He snorted.

"What is it?"  
Kagome ran a hand through her hair, looking past him. She took a deep breath and then stared at him awhile. Finally, she spoke. "Downstairs – the bin in the kitchen. Can you fetch some scraps of paper for me?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and he made a choking sound, his eyes darkening. "If this is one of your 'dog' jokes–! I'm _not_ gonna go hunting around like some _mutt_!" he shouted.  
"But whatever got Mama uptight is in that bin! Inuyasha, _please_?" Kagome begged, sitting up abruptly.

Inuyasha continued to glare at her. He didn't give a damn what had gotten on Mrs. Higurashi's nerves, but…he couldn't say no to Kagome when she was like this. She had obviously been hurt and she would stay hurt until she understood _why_.  
Inuyasha grunted and turned out of her bedroom without another word – continuing down the hallway and down the stairs.

The kitchen was empty when he arrived, and there in the bin was some scraps of paper – most probably the ones Kagome had asked him to collect. Wrinkling up his nose, he dug them out and went back up to Kagome's room – making sure no one saw him. After all, no one knew he was in the house except for Kagome.

Mama Higurashi had wandered off some place anonymous, discarding the letter fragments in the bin. She should have had less faith in her daughter.

Back in Kagome's room, Inuyasha laid the scraps of paper out on the floor and cocked his head on one side – staring at them. "Some scraps were white, some were pink – I didn't know which ones you wanted." He frowned, on his knees.

Kagome came and sat down beside him and began to put the jigsaw of pieces back together – which wasn't hard as her mother had only ripped the letter up into four pieces. Then the hanyou and miko stared down at the letter critically. Inuyasha couldn't read the typing properly, so he then decided to search Kagome's face for her reaction.

He didn't like what he saw there. Kagome's eyes roamed over the letter – curious at first. And… then her breath caught in her throat. When she had read it through a second time, she'd turned pale. In a moment tears were rolling down her face and she'd covered her mouth with her hand – her eyes wide. Inuyasha's eyes darted from her face, to the letter and then back again. He couldn't see what was upsetting her – and this was aggravating him even more.

He shook her. "Kagome, what's the matter?" he asked, frowning. "_Kagome_?" He tilted her chin so she was looking at him, and then a shock wave hit him as she began to sob.

She lunged forward and wrapped her arms around him, digging her face into his chest in a desperate embrace.  
"_Inuyasha_!" she cried, her voice thick with disbelief.

Inuyasha looked down suddenly, staring at her in his arms with the shock plain on his face. His amber eyes widened.  
Kagome shook her head fervently against his chest, clutching onto him tightly. She always felt safe in his arms…but not now, not now that someone was threatening to take him away from her – the only one who made it possible for her to wake up every morning. The only who mattered.

"It's the well!" she sobbed. "They're… they're… they're taking down the well – they're destroying it!" Her grip tightened on his kimono, but Inuyasha didn't seem to notice.  
His heart had turned to ice. Inuyasha froze up, his body tense.

_They're taking down the well… They're taking down the well… They're taking down the well… They're taking down the well… _A voice in his head repeated over and over.

The world was falling away until it was all a blank canvas, and all that was there was an empty space – with nothing but he and Kagome to comfort each other. A world void of colour and life, because it had all been taken away from them…

Inuyasha's arms snaked around Kagome and he held on to her, pulling her closer towards him. He felt numb. He couldn't speak – couldn't do anything except clutch onto her and try to get some comfort from holding her.  
Nothing would melt the cold that was surrounding him. Not even the moment they were sharing now. Because soon they would never get another moment like it.

Someone was going to take Kagome away from him. He was in so much shock that he didn't even ask who had decided to take down the well, who had the right to and who was even _going_ to. He couldn't care. All that mattered was that he needed to be by Kagome's side – he needed to be there, always.

He _couldn't_ leave her. The only person who had ever accepted him.  
"W-What are we going to do?" Kagome wept into his chest, her hands balled up into fists as they clutched onto his kimono. Inuyasha looked down at her then, lost for words.

The truth was – he didn't know what to do.

All he knew was that he didn't want to lose her.

* * *

Inuyasha placed Kagome on the bed, brushing the tears from her eyes. It was late. Neither she, nor he, had spoken since that moment after reading the letter. Instead, they had just spent the rest of the day in each other's company – simply together. Kagome's tears had caused her eyes to blossom pink and even now she was still crying. 

Inuyasha lay down opposite her, watching her try to get some sleep. She wasn't succeeding. Her hands tightened on the bed sheets and her eyelids fluttered, her lips mouthing his name. He leant in closer, not caring whether before he had never even dared to get this close to her.

That was before. This was now. He didn't know how long they had left together – so he had to make every moment count.  
"Kagome…" he whispered, brushing a hand through her hair.  
She responded by leaning into his hand, her eyes still shut. Her face crumpled in sadness and Inuyasha waited for another round of tears.

He was still frozen inside. Still.  
He couldn't react. He wrapped his arms around her and watched her for a while longer.  
"Don't go to sleep," Kagome whispered to him. "Don't leave me…"  
Inuyasha's heart throbbed painfully in his chest. Their fingers locked at their sides, and he leant his head forward until their noses were touching.

"I'll always be here," he told her – caressing the sides of her face. Both knew it was a lie. They wouldn't be in this position if it were the truth. They were going to be separated – apart. Forever…

"Inuyasha–" Kagome objected, her voice stabbing at Inuyasha's heart. She brought up her other hand, but Inuyasha caught it. For a while they just lay there like that. Kagome's eyes fluttered open and the two stared at each other, realising a lot in that one moment.

The words they couldn't say were obvious on their faces. Inuyasha's face was crumpled, but he couldn't cry. It wasn't in his nature. Kagome, however, wasn't as strong. Or maybe, the question was – is it strength or weakness to cry? To show confidence enough to express your feelings openly?

They were breathing the same air, their lips so close they were almost kissing. _Almost_.  
"Inuyasha…" Kagome said, her voice barely above a whisper. Inuyasha pressed a finger to her lips, his eyes boring into hers. "Shh," he replied – removing his finger so he could stroke her hair.

Kagome blinked back the newly forming tears. She choked back a gasp and slammed her eyes shut, pressing her body against his in attempt to salvage some comfort. Inuyasha unlocked his left hand from her right and held her – the two rocking slowly next to each other.

_It isn't fair… It isn't fair…_ It had to have been fate that they had met in the first place – so why were they being torn apart now? It wasn't fair! _It wasn't fair!_

"It isn't _fair_!" Inuyasha kept repeating over and over, not realising he was saying it out loud. He dug his face into Kagome's hair, trying to cover up his tearless sobs. But he couldn't hide it any longer. "It's isn't fair! It isn't fair!"

He didn't care whether he sounded like a kid who wasn't allowed any sweets. He didn't care whether he sounded like he was having a tantrum. Destiny was cruel, and it was ripping him apart – piece by piece.

Inuyasha gritted his teeth as he pulled Kagome tighter to him. Kagome was almost at the stage that she couldn't breathe – it was as if he were smothering her, holding on to her so tightly. He never wanted to let her go…

"Kagome, Kagome, Kagome, Kagome," he said, over and over. Rocking back and forth. He sat up in a sitting position, pulling Kagome with him. He couldn't stop himself; he was raining kisses on her forehead – the pain unfolding from somewhere deep inside of him.

And Kagome said it then. The words that fried his circuits and sent him spiralling out of control. "Promise me. Promise me, you'll never forget me…"  
Inuyasha stiffened. His breath caught in his throat. Kagome looked up at him, her large brown eyes shining in the moonlight that was now washing through her window.

The dark hair framing her face made her seem pale. Her lips were curved into a helpless smile and she was gripping on to his chest. She looked so vulnerable. So _lost_.  
The two both understood each other better in that moment than ever before.

Inuyasha cupped her face and covered her mouth with his own, the walls of his mind slowly crumbling and exposing him for who he really was. He was just as scared and as afraid of being alone as Kagome was. He didn't want to be alone. All he had ever really wanted was someone to love him – to be accepted. And now he had found that someone, and she was being taken away from him.

"I love you, Kagome." Inuyasha sobbed against her lips, the tears beginning to fall. "And I'm so sorry, because it's too late. It's too late for this, now and I couldn't – I just couldn't tell you before..."

Kagome's eyes widened. The two things she'd thought Inuyasha would never do: confess his feelings and apologize. And he had done both in the same sentence. Her breath caught in her throat. And the worst thing was, she realized that he was right. It was too late. In three days' time they were never going to see each other again.

Inuyasha would grow apart from her and someday become a full demon – alone forever, unless Kikyo dragged him to hell first.  
And Kagome would… Kagome would probably marry and have children. But she didn't _want_ to spend her life with another person – when the only person she wanted to be with forever was the one whose arms were around her now.

She knew she was too young to speak like that – but it was fated, right? Why else would she have suddenly been dragged through the well that day, if not to free and fall for the hanyou holding her now?

The tears kept falling and she clutched tighter onto Inuyasha. Her voice was hoarse when she managed to speak. "Inu…Yasha… I– I–"  
_It's hopeless. Why strengthen our relationship now, when it's just gonna be broke apart? Why don't we put a stop to it now? _She thought suddenly.

Kagome's head jerked up, her eyes brown eyes soft and wet. She gritted her teeth and tried to pull herself out of his arms. "Inuyasha, stop it," she shook her head from side to side. "I–"  
But Inuyasha got their first. He kissed her again and Kagome couldn't stop him. She found herself kissing him back, feeling the helplessness overwhelm her.

She wanted to freeze over – to trap this moment forever. She didn't want to move on from this moment in time. She wanted it to last.  
Kagome knew she was giving in. She pressed her forehead against Inuyasha's as they pulled apart. She curled her fingers around the bangs at the side of his face, her lips wobbling. "Inuyasha… Inuyasha, I – I – I love you, too." She whispered.

Then she leant back onto her bed and shut her eyes, hoping the sleep would come to her now. Tears continued to fall out of the corners of her eyes, but she wouldn't let go of all hope yet.

Her hand dropped from Inuyasha's hair and somehow found his again. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it, his lips a mere brush on her skin. Then he propped himself up next to her and watched her sleep.

"Goodnight, Kagome." He told her, smiling slightly. But she didn't hear him – she was already fast asleep.

* * *

Three days had passed in a blur. Miroku, Sango and Shippo hadn't been told about the well's destruction – for their sake, and for the sake of Kagome probably breaking down when she told them. Inuyasha couldn't be bothered with them – they weren't what mattered most at this moment. What mattered was that he would see them forever afterwards, but he only had three days with Kagome. 

Three days of freedom. Freedom from himself. And now they were over.  
They were in the Sengoku Jidai now, and Kagome had announced that it was around two hours until the well was going to be destroyed. They had both decided it would be best to split early to avoid a long goodbye.

Kagome was sat on the well, Inuyasha stood in front of her with the saddest expression Kagome had ever seen. His eyes were glazed and distant, his skin so pale. Neither wanted to say goodbye. Neither wanted to forget the other. Neither wanted to let go.

Kagome raised her eyes. "Inuyasha," she murmured, the wind tossing the hair about her face. Inuyasha blinked twice, already seeing the imaginary dagger that was aiming at his heart in his mind's eye. He winced.  
"Kagome,"

"I promise you, I'll never forget you." Kagome's eyes locked with his and she forced a smile, raising her hand up so their fingers could lock together. Inuyasha obeyed silently and they stayed like that for the moment, just watching each other with their fingers entwined. Then Kagome stood up and fell into his arms.

Inuyasha tilted her head up to his and gave her a fierce kiss goodbye.

_The last time…our last time together._

Kagome's free hand came up to stroke his face while Inuyasha's free hand was cupping her chin. They held each other so tenderly, yet fiercely.

_The end, _they both thought. Because they knew it wouldn't be living without the other.

* * *

"What's going on?" Shippo hissed in the bushes, trying to get Miroku to remove his hand from his eyes. Miroku's hand wouldn't budge. He and Sango were leaning far out of the bushes, watching Inuyasha and Kagome with both confusion, interest and disbelief. Sango was blushing with happiness that they had kissed – but she was extremely confused as to why. 

Why was Kagome never going to forget Inuyasha? Was she going away?

The two were leaning so far out of the bushes that they were about to fall out.

* * *

Kagome and Inuyasha pulled apart, Kagome's arms were somehow now around Inuyasha's neck. Inuyasha used his thumb to wipe away the tears forming in Kagome's eyes, careful not to cut her with his fingernails. His voice was soft when he managed to speak. 

"I swear to you, Kagome Higurashi. I'll be yours, forever and eternity." He whispered against her lips, his eyes shining. And Kagome knew that he meant it. He wasn't going to run back to Kikyo now that they were going to be separated. This was the moment she had always wanted, and it was being followed by her greatest fear.

"I love you," Kagome told him, knowing that she had said it a lot these past three days. Inuyasha's sad smile widened. "I love you, too," he told her back.

The pain was gone. Instead there was just an emptiness inside both of them, and neither knew what to do.

Kagome pulled away. She didn't want to say 'goodbye', it was too final and she would never get the whole way through it without breaking down in tears. So instead she waved at him. And he waved back. Their eye contact didn't break once as Kagome climbed over the well… and jumped.

* * *

Inuyasha stared down into the well, knowing the black abyss beneath him was what was now happening inside his mind. He was falling into a dark hole that no one could pull him out of. A bottomless pit, with no escape. And he was letting himself be absorbed by the darkness. Letting it win him over. 

Kagome was gone. The only light in his life had been snuffed out forever. And now… he was truly alone.


	2. Chapter 2

_Foresee The Future_

Okay, so much for a 'one-shot.' You didn't think I was going to leave you hanging there, did you? This was the original end to _Erase The Past_, but I thought it was too long and had to be split with a cliffy. Sorry

Continuing what I said before: I know that in no way would this ever happen – but what if it _did_? And I know neither Inuyasha nor Kagome would give up this easily, but it's just a 'what if' situation.

Keh, stole an idea from _Fruits Basket_. Ya know, Hatori? Freezing over like the snow so he and Kana's moments would never go away? I just nabbed the concept for a little while somewhere in there. And as for the whole 'banzai' thing – I couldn't help myself, heh.

Shall I do a play list? Hmm… Did any of you _listen_ to the other play list? Well, if you did I guess I have no choice…

_**Songs on the list this time round:**_

Hello,  
I Miss You,  
Wild Horses,  
Take On Me,  
_(and if you are a slow reader…)_  
I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing,  
Wherever You Will Go,  
Good Riddance (Time Of Your life),  
Move Along.

* * *

Kagome stood beside the well, refusing to move. Jumping through time had drained her, and she wasn't sure whether she should move from this spot. She didn't want to leave Inuyasha. She _couldn't_… not yet.

Of course she had left the Shikon shards with him – she had given them to him the other day, to test him and see if that was all he really cared about – whether he would go off in a tangent as soon as he had the jewel. But without question he'd handed them over to Kaede for safe keeping and stayed by Kagome's side. Kagome was thankful. It meant he cared – didn't it?

Numb, she sat down on the well – a tear rolling down her cheek. She couldn't move, not yet. She had to absorb all that was present in this well house – for it was the last time she would see it. The last time she would feel Inuyasha's presence.  
She clenched her fists at the thought and her heart throbbed painfully inside her chest.

She gritted her teeth, trying to forget about the hanyou she had left behind. But she knew from experience that she couldn't forget him. The pain came when she realised that that was all she could do to move on in life – forget. Even though she knew he would never forget about her… Not that he would ever admit it.

"Kagome? Kagome, is that you?" Mama Higurashi called from the entrance, looking down into the damp of the well in mild surprise. Kagome didn't raise her head. "…Hai," she replied – turning away from her mother's gaze. She still couldn't move. It was too much for her to bear…

Mama stepped down into the darkness. The well house wasn't a place she normally went to unless Buyo was missing or when she was greeting Kagome when she had returned from the other side. She felt suddenly enlightened in thinking that something so small and so unimportant was actually the most important thing in her daughter's life.

Something so dreary and bleak was what provided Kagome with life – with happiness. Because it allowed her to see Inuyasha. And now she would never be able to see him ever again.  
Mama Higurashi swallowed thickly, and made her way over to her daughter.

She knew, just by looking at her, that the world would never be the same again. Kagome would always be like this – every day would be dark and her daughter would never smile again. She knew it would be that way since she had told Kagome the well was being destroyed, but since her daughter hadn't shown much surprise Mama could only guess that her daughter had disobeyed her and reassembled the letter.

_At least she knew I didn't lie to her…_Mama thought with some comfort. _At least she knew I didn't keep it a secret. _

"May I sit here?" Mama asked, standing next to Kagome with a sad smile on her face. For a moment there was silence, and then Kagome nodded wordlessly. She kept looking down into her lap.  
Mama sat down beside her daughter and put a comforting arm around Kagome's shoulders.

The only sounds were the rustling of the Go Shinboku's branches in the garden and Kagome's soft breathing. Mama seemed to keep hers in check. Kagome's breaths were slowly turning to gulps of air and Mama turned to see her daughter was crying.

Kagome turned towards her mother, trying to hold back the tears that were flowing freely down her face, but she wasn't succeeding. So instead she buried herself in her mother's arms, sobbing.  
"Mama, I want Inuyasha! I want to see Inuyasha; I don't want to lose him!" Kagome wept, shaking her head to and fro in denial.

Mama Higurashi looked down at her daughter, her own eyes shining with withheld tears. But she had to be strong, for Kagome. She knew now what it was she must do. What any good mother would do. She had to say it – for her daughter. She had to let Kagome know…

Mama buried her face in Kagome's hair, drinking in the smell of her daughter. Her arms tightened around her. "Kagome," she said. "You know you will always be my little girl. Always. My princess,"

Kagome continued to cry in her mother's arms, not looking up – but she nodded. Mama smiled sadly above her daughter's head. She looked up at the interior of the well house without really seeing it. Her gaze passed through it, until she could see what lay in store. The future.

"I want what's best for you, darling. And that is what you have to decide…"

Kagome jerked in her mother's arms, clenching her fists and pulling herself upright. Tears were highlighting her cheeks, her eyes shining a brilliant chestnut. "I don't know what you _mean_, Mama!" she cried. "I don't understand… I'm– _afraid_, Mama." Kagome replied, hesitantly.

Mama nodded. She reached out for her daughter once more, and Kagome fell in her arms again. Mama sighed.

She rocked her daughter back and forth like she had done when she was a child. Her face seemed to be serene, and she was surprised how calm she was being about the whole situation. Kagome's face, however, was pink with tears.

_Would she give up everything?_ Mama wondered, briefly.  
She looked down at Kagome in her arms.  
_And am I ready to let her go?_

"Kagome," Mama raised her eyes to look back at the wall of the well house. Her heart was thumping painfully, her blood roaring in her ears. She knew the silence wouldn't last, but until it was broken she felt completely alone.

Finally, she sighed. "Kagome, I want you to answer me truthfully. Are… Are you in love with Inuyasha?" she asked, delicately.  
Kagome sniffed and raised her head, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. Her eyes locked with her mother's. She nodded once – yes. Mama made a muffled sound, but cut off the gasp before it escaped. She didn't even know why she was so surprised. She guessed that she was just happy for her daughter to have found someone to love…

She pulled her daughter into another embrace, but this time with a genuine smile across her face. Now the tears began to emerge in the corners of her eyes.  
"Then, sweet heart, why are you sat here talking to me? Shouldn't you be with him?" she said softly, nudging her daughter. This caused Kagome to let out another wail and clutch onto Mama tighter.

"No, no, no, no – we decided to split early. To give us time to prepare for the– you know…" Kagome trailed off, trying to wipe her eyes again. Her mother caught her hand before she could. She smiled down at her daughter.

_Are you ready to let her go? _

_Are you ready to let her go?_

_Are you ready to let her go?_

_Yes. Yes, I am. _

"I didn't mean that. Kagome – I meant it's your decision. Where do you belong? Here, or back on the other side – with him?" she asked softly, gently rubbing her daughter's shoulders.

Kagome opened her mouth to speak. A gurgled sound came out and she clamped her lips shut – turning away. "Mama… my future is here," Kagome whispered helplessly, bowing her head.  
Mama Higurashi held her daughter from behind, trying to strike a chord somewhere inside of her daughter. "I'm not trying to push you away, Kagome. I want what's best for you. And I know that Inuyasha will always take care of you. I can see your future, Kagome… And it's not here," she told her, sadly yet reassuringly.

"I knew this moment would come the day I found out you were travelling between the two times with Inuyasha. And I'd already come to accept that one day you would marry and grow apart from our family, making your own. Well, I'd rather you'd be safe and happy with the one you love, than forced to grow up in a world without him."

Kagome's eyes widened. She froze in place, blinking furiously with her hand poised to wipe her tears away yet again. _I'd rather you'd be safe and happy with the one you love… _

"M-Mama?" Kagome whispered.  
"Hai?"  
"I'm… scared," Kagome told her, truthfully – the tears slowly ceasing. Mama Higurashi nodded in understanding and helped her daughter up, turning her around to stare at her critically.

Kagome looked back up, sheepishly.  
Mama smiled.  
"Come on," she grimaced, playfully punching her daughter's arm. "Let's get you sorted out,"

* * *

Inuyasha sat beside the well, his gaze unblinking. He didn't know how long it had been since Kagome had left him – but she still had left him. Just like everyone else before her. His mother had left him, his own brother had abandoned him and Kikyo had left him too.

He hadn't ever thought Kagome would follow suit. He didn't feel any anger or hatred as he had with Sesshoumaru and Kikyo's desertion. He felt alone, unloved and unwanted as he had when he'd watched his mother die.

The emptiness was eating away at him. It was worse to have lost Kagome than it had been when he'd lost his mother. He'd been young then and he had loved his mother because she was the only family he had.  
He loved Kagome because of who she was, not how she was connected to him. And he wasn't so young anymore. This pain wouldn't die away as it had the first time.

He… had no future now. He couldn't move on, he knew that in his heart. He could try and keep up his badass façade, but it wouldn't wash anymore – he knew that. There was sadness in his eyes and he was only a shade of what he had been before.

He bowed his head, numb.

"Inuyasha?" a familiar voice called from the forest around him. Inuyasha didn't reply to Miroku's call. After all, Inuyasha didn't want any company. He just wanted to be alone – to freeze over and trap all the good times he and Kagome had shared. To live as solid as the ice surrounding his heart.

He was turning cold, he could feel it inside. And only Kagome could save him from himself.

* * *

Kagome looked around at her family and was overwhelmed by all the feelings that engulfed her. Love, gratitude and shock at how kind her family were being – ushering her towards the well while carrying her things.

The tears were still falling, even now. It hadn't taken long to grab all of the things she would need and would miss. Now Kagome's belongings were being carried in the Higurashi family's arms. The destruction crew would be arriving shortly, and they needed to hurry.

Kagome watched as her family dropped carrier bags down into the well, ready for Kagome to jump down and carry them with her to the other side. Sota was crying silently and Grandpa was grumbling about giving his granddaughter away to a demon.

Kagome held back a laugh and turned to her family, who had finished lowering her stuff. Sota tugged on her skirt, his dark head rising. Kagome bent down so she was at his level and he leant forward and kissed her on the cheek, shyly.  
"Be safe, sis," he whispered, stepping back.

Kagome's face flushed and she held out a hand in her brother's direction, uncertain of what to say or do. Instead, she stood up again and replied meekly, "You too,"  
Grandpa shuffled forward, with an angry face. "If that demon does anything improper to you, my girl, I shall–"

"Bye, Grandpa," Kagome cut him off, giggling. She pulled the old man into a sharp hug, smiling. Then, as she pulled away she pointed a finger at him. "Don't go boring Sota with prophecies and such while I'm gone, okay?"

Grandpa snorted and turned away, leaving Mama to step forward. Mama smiled at her daughter bravely, making her way over and pulling her daughter into a fierce hug. She whispered into Kagome's ear, lowering her head to hide her tears. "My little girl forever," she told her.

Kagome choked back another round of tears and nodded at her mother before pulling apart. She looked back at the well and sighed. Then, sending a fleeting glance in the direction of her family, she smiled. "For my future," she whispered in some form of speech.

Sota, who was grabbing hold of Mama's side, looked up and grinned. "For Inuyasha,"  
Kagome narrowed her eyes at him, teasingly.

Mama was the one to start the parade of choruses. "Higurashi Kagome, banzai!" she cried, grinning brilliantly as she did so. Grandpa and Sota joined in too, waving Kagome off as she jumped in the well with barely suppressed tears.

Kagome braced herself against the world preparing to meet her. She sucked in a deep breath.

_For my future…_

_For Inuyasha… _she thought.

* * *

Inuyasha looked heavenward. He knew by the position the sun was in the sky that the well on Kagome's side was going to be destroyed soon. _Will time be parallel? _He wondered. _Will it be destroyed here, too? _

Inside there was still the emptiness. Inside he was a child crying for the girl he had loved and lost, but outside he didn't let it show. Instead he was a ghost, who looked as if he had seen the whole world and was tired of it. Inuyasha wondered whether he should move from this spot – he knew he was torturing himself.

But he couldn't bear it. He had to hold on to what memories he had of Kagome while he could. This way he felt close to her, as if he were there – sharing them and reliving their time together over and over. This was where they were connected. And this was where their connection would be severed.

Inuyasha bowed his head and a single tear carved a path down his cheek, tracing an imaginary scar. He didn't know whether he could fall asleep. He wanted to, part of him wanted to shut down and ignore what was going on. But if he fell asleep would ever wake up again? Inuyasha didn't know. But secretly, he wanted to try.

Inuyasha shut his eyes, counting down the time until the well would be destroyed. He didn't know exactly when it would happen, but he thought he would feel some kind of severed link – as if someone's grip had slackened on a rope. A rope of destiny tying he and Kagome together.

"_Inuyasha_,"  
Inuyasha felt a different kind of jolt. That voice… it was familiar. But it couldn't be Kagome's voice… could it? Surely he would've heard her, smelt her – sensed her. Had he been too wrapped up in his own thoughts?

He slowly turned, keeping the blank expression on his face – not daring to hope. But there, leaning out of the well and smiling down at him with a serene expression on her face… was Kagome – looking like a triumphant angel. Beautiful. She was so beautiful…

Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat. He was choking on the air he breathed. "K-K-Kagome…? What are you doing back here, I–"  
Kagome didn't answer him. She climbed out of the well and looked silently down at her belongings with a wrinkled expression.

Inuyasha stood up and looked down into the well, too – only to see all of Kagome's things. He blinked twice and then stared up at Kagome in fascination. "What are you–?" he began, but Kagome was giggling.

She tossed her hair and turned to look at him, her eyes shining brilliantly. "I know where my future lies, Inuyasha. In the past. With you," she grinned.  
Inuyasha opened his mouth, simply staring. And then Kagome was in his arms and they were falling to the floor, laughing and crying and kissing as if there were no tomorrow.

There was a cord thrumming between them – connecting them through the five-hundred years between them. They were meant to be together. After all, it was destiny.

Inuyasha's hand locked with Kagome's. He smiled against her lips, finally letting his own tears flow willingly for the first time.

No, Kagome hadn't deserted him. And she wasn't going to. _Ever_.


End file.
